Catfish

Phenomenon

Someone who uses fake or heavily misleading photos and identity online.

What it means

A catfish is someone who creates a deceptive online identity — usually with stolen or AI-generated photos and fabricated details — to pursue romantic or financial connections. The term comes from the 2010 documentary 'Catfish.' It's distinct from someone whose photos are just a few years old or slightly enhanced — the defining feature is the deception, not the photo edit.

Related terms

Catfishing-LightPhotos so heavily edited that you don't look like yourself in person, without full identity deception.

Make the first impression the easy part.

Turn the photo you have into a better photo or a short video. Still you, on a good day.

Try it on a photo

You can't control the reply. You can control the photo.